Arcadia
Household income is the standout feature: the weekly household figure of $2,659 sits at the 94.4th percentile, well above the national middle. Arcadia's 1,475 residents occupy 22.41 square kilometres at 65.8 people per square kilometre, while the median age of 46 is 6 years above national. The housing profile is unusually detached, with 99.3% separate houses and 65.4% containing 4 or more bedrooms. A 49.8% work-from-home rate reinforces its low-density, established character, with Galston and Dural useful nearby comparisons for buyers weighing land, access and services.
Local council: Hornsby
Population
1,475
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,659/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Arcadia suits buyers seeking conventional family housing rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 99.3% of dwellings, and 65.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with only 0.7% apartments. Ownership is relatively established: 46.5% own outright and 38.7% have a mortgage, while 11.3% rent. A $3,300 monthly mortgage represents 28.7% of household income, while weekly rent is $485. Because the housing stock is so heavily detached, buyers should compare land size, maintenance and commute costs rather than relying only on advertised dwelling size.
For Buyers
Arcadia suits buyers seeking conventional family housing rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 99.3% of dwellings, and 65.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with only 0.7% apartments. Ownership is relatively established: 46.5% own outright and 38.7% have a mortgage, while 11.3% rent. A $3,300 monthly mortgage represents 28.7% of household income, while weekly rent is $485. Because the housing stock is so heavily detached, buyers should compare land size, maintenance and commute costs rather than relying only on advertised dwelling size.
For Investors
Arcadia's investor case is led by a small rental base rather than a high-density pipeline. Only 11.3% of occupied dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $485 and vacancy is 3.7%, so tenant demand may be sensitive to the limited pool of available homes. The 18 development applications in 12 months point to ongoing property activity, but recent examples include a dwelling alteration and sheds, not a confirmed wave of new dwellings. An 81.2% five-year stay rate is higher than the 18.8% turnover rate, suggesting lower churn than a transient market. Investors should calculate yield from the purchase price and allow for detached-home maintenance.
Development Activity
Total DAs
145
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Arcadia
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Arcadia has an older age profile than Australia overall: the median age is 46, or 6 years above national. University attainment is 38.2%, 8.1 percentage points above the national comparison, while overseas-born residents are 17.3%, 4.3 points below. Household size is 3.2 people, 0.7 above national, consistent with 51.0% of families being couples with children and 38.6% couples without children. English ancestry leads at 665 people, followed by Irish at 173 and Scottish at 165. Christianity is recorded for 883 residents and no religion for 491. The 81.2% five-year stay rate helps explain the settled, Anglo-leaning profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Arcadia's housing is overwhelmingly low-density: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 0.7% apartments, and 65.4% have 4 or more bedrooms compared with 24.0% with 3 bedrooms. Tenure is weighted to ownership, with 46.5% owned outright and 38.7% mortgaged, while 11.3% is rented. That pattern fits a settled market because 81.2% of residents stayed at the same address and only 18.8% moved. The $3,300 monthly mortgage represents 28.7% of household income, higher than the 18.2% rent-to-income figure. Buyers should budget for rates, insurance and upkeep alongside repayments.
Mortgage / mo
$3,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$485
Census 2021
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$920
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.7%
Unoccupied
17
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.0%
Couples with children
38.6%
Couples, no children
10.1%
Single parent
414
Total families
Economy & Employment
Arcadia's income position is strong, with household income at the 94.4th percentile, above the national middle. Employment is also comparatively firm: unemployment is 2.9% across a labour force of 763, with a 62.2% participation rate and 413 full-time workers. The largest industries are Construction at 13.2% with 72 workers, Professional/Tech at 12.3% with 67, Education at 11.9% with 65, Healthcare at 11.4% with 62, and Retail at 6.8% with 37. Professionals number 193 and managers 166, helping explain the 49.8% work-from-home rate. The mix combines skilled employment with trades rather than relying on one sector.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
763
Unemployed
22
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.7%
Part-time
35.8%
Participation
62.2%
Employed
741
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.2%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
17.3%
Dwellings
445
Transport to Work
Arcadia's low-density setting supports privacy and larger homes, but daily travel is more car-oriented than walk-oriented. Car drivers account for 43.7% of journeys to work, compared with 3.4% walking or cycling, while 49.8% work from home, reducing commuting pressure for many households. Arcadia Public School provides 1 government primary school locally; families should check enrolment zones and nearby secondary options against the exact address. The suburb covers 22.41 square kilometres at 65.8 people per square kilometre, so services are more dispersed than in denser centres. A median age of 46, 6 years above national, also points to demand for practical local access.
Drive
43.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
49.8%
Growth Outlook
Arcadia's growth profile looks incremental rather than redevelopment-led. The suburb has 1,475 residents across 22.41 square kilometres, a density of 65.8 people per square kilometre, and 18 development applications over 12 months. Recent examples include a dwelling alteration and sheds, so the visible pipeline points more to home improvement than a confirmed increase in dwelling numbers. Population stability is also notable: 81.2% stayed at the same address while turnover was 18.8%. Compared with denser release areas, this pattern suggests change will be shaped by additions, renovations and selective infill, because 99.3% of homes are separate houses.
Population trend: Hornsby council area
Arcadia sits in the Hornsby council area. These are the council area's residents, not Arcadia's.
Residents 2025
155,484
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Arcadia compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arcadia a good suburb to live in?
Arcadia can suit households wanting a quiet, detached-home setting. It has 1,475 residents, 99.3% separate houses and 49.8% working from home. The median age is 46, so buyers seeking highly walkable services should compare the exact address with denser nearby areas before committing.
What is the median house price in Arcadia?
Arcadia's current median house price should be confirmed from recent settled sales before making an offer. The suburb is 99.3% separate houses and 65.4% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, so a single figure can conceal major differences in land size, dwelling condition and accommodation.
What schools are in Arcadia?
Arcadia Public School is the local 1 government primary school. Check the exact enrolment zone and travel options for the address, then compare nearby secondary schools separately because school catchments do not always follow suburb boundaries. The suburb's 3.2-person average household size is relevant for family planning.
Is Arcadia safe?
A current safety decision should rely on NSW Police incident figures for the relevant period rather than assumptions. Arcadia has 65.8 people per square kilometre and 43.7% car drivers, so its street activity may feel different from a denser centre, but those figures do not measure crime. Check the immediate street and late-night travel route.
Is Arcadia good for property investment?
Arcadia may suit a long-term investor seeking detached housing, but returns need careful checking. Weekly rent is $485, vacancy is 3.7% and renters represent 11.3% of occupied dwellings. The 18 development applications over 12 months include alterations and sheds, so investors should verify any new supply, purchase price, insurance and maintenance costs.
How is Arcadia's population changing?
Arcadia has 1,475 residents and appears relatively settled: 81.2% stayed at the same address over five years, compared with an 18.8% turnover rate. Its median age of 46, which is 6 years above national, suggests population change is more likely to come through household turnover and ageing than rapid churn.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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